Capistrano
by turbomagnus
Summary: NWZ - Victoria's husband comes home. AU.


Author's Note: Part of an experimental project to write at least one short every day for the next year. We'll see if I actually manage to meet my goal. This is The 365 Project, 2 January.

Disclaimer: Zorro (this version, at least) belongs to New World Entertainment and the Family Channel and is used without permission or intent to profit.

An AU from Season One, Episode One of 'New World' Zorro, "Dead Men Tell No Tales", where Alcalde Ramon uses an actor to frame Victoria for murder. What might have happened if Zorro hadn't managed to catch the actor before he could leave the pueblo...

* * *

"Capistrano"  
By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'

* * *

James Kendall arrived at his home in San Juan Capistrano after a long ride from Los Angeles. Most of the people in Capistrano were never quite sure what to make of this man with an English name and a caballero's appearance. When he had first arrived in the pueblo, rumors passed through the streets of everything from this Kendall being a spy for a British crown seeking to claim California after losing it's other American colonies to a revolt to him being a retired pirate hiding from people who wished to kill him after he had attacked their ships to him being a former officer in the Spanish army forced to retire after killing his superior in a duel.

None of them realised that the truth, perhaps, would be more unbelievable than fiction, but the last was the closest to the truth even if it were nowhere close.

Riding up to the gate of his hacienda outside Capistrano, James dismounted and handed the reins of his horse to a servant that was standing nearby.

"Here, Bernardo, you know what to do."

The servant nodded and patted the big black horse on the neck, getting a whiney of appreciation from the mount.

"Bernardo," James chuckled, "If you're not careful, I'll begin to think Tornado likes you better than me."

Bernardo shook his head, raised his left hand, then pointed into the hacienda.

"She's waiting?" James asked, looking into the courtyard, "Thank you, Bernardo."

* * *

James stopped at the doorway to the parlor and listened, smiling, as his wife played the piano until she finished the piece.

"You play almost as beautifully as you look, Senora," he said to announce his presence.

Her head turned sharply at the sound of his voice, "Jaime!"

Within seconds, she was off the piano bench and moving towards him only to be stopped by a pair of outstretched hands, "As much as I would love your embrace, my love, I smell like the road. Permit me to bath first, then you can greet me any way you wish."

"Very well," she answered with pursed lips and narrowed eyes, "But I doubt you'll be able to stop your son as easily - he's as stubborn as both of his parents."

"I only hope he doesn't take after us in other ways," James sighed.

"You're too late for that, Jaime," his wife informed him, "I've already seen him in the courtyard with a stick, proclaim he'll one day be as great as his father."

James sighed again and shook his head, "There is nothing great about his father, I'm a liar and a coward, I've broken promises and I've killed a man. By the grace of God, our son will take after you more than he will me."

"Jaime," his wife paused and looked around to make sure that no one was near, "Diego, you must stop blaming yourself - it has been ten years."

"I swore to never take a life, Victoria," James answered more harshly that he would have liked, "Still, when I was faced with the choice between breaking that promise and losing my honor or leting Ramon live and losing you, I killed him without hesitation. I pray to God every day that Edmund is never forced to make such a decision, that he'll become a better man than I am."

Not caring about the fact that his clothes were covered in trail dust, Victoria threw her arms around her husband, "Diego, it was _not_ your fault. You know what Fillipe's letter said, Ramon had actually gone so far as to kill his own friend to make sure there was no way to prove my innocence. If he would've done that, there was nothing stopping him from actually hanging me just to prove he could do so. Do not forgive him if you must, but forgive yourself."

"I'm afraid I don't know how," James admitted, "Zorro is a murderer and a traitor, Diego de la Vega is a scholar and a coward, James Kendall is a loving husband and father and wealthy landowner... and I don't know which of them is the real person anymore."

"None of them are the 'real person'," Victora corrected as she ran a hand through her husband's hair, "Because they are all just different parts of the same person... and I love all of him. Yes, I miss Los Angeles, I miss the tavern and the people, but I love you and I love our son and I wouldn't trade this life for any other, even if it meant Zorro was still a hero and I was Victora Escalante or even Victoria de la Vega instead of Victoria Kendall. Stop thinking so harshly of yourself and think of all the good you've done instead. The last time Father came to visit, he mentioned that the villagers were planning a jubilee to celebrate Alcalde Mendoza's tenth year in office - do you think they would have willingly done the same for Ramon? And Fillipe, he takes such pride in publishing the pueblo's newspaper after the written word being such a part of his life while he couldn't hear or speak. And I've seen few grandfathers who dote more than Alejandro does on Edmund Alexander. Yes, Diego, Luis Ramon is dead, and so are Victoria Escalante and El Zorro... but we're still alive, why can't you be happy with that?"

James cupped her cheek in his hand, "Do not think me ungrateful or unhappy, Querida, I only wish that we could have made a life together without such bad things leading up to it. Do you think it would have been possible?"

"I think," Victoria answered, "That whatever life we might have, it would be together."


End file.
